THE AIDE MEMOIRE

Hokitika Guardian, 8 September 1932, Page 8

THE AIDE MEMOIRE

'GERMANY’S ARMAMENT CLAIM

• y-:< .4 , 1- IN TIME MAY BE'CANCELLED

There is a well-established opinion in France tbatj in her methods of diplomatic negotiation Germany is inclipddEv,to take 'too much , for granted, (jiveh.&n inch, she ,will , take an ell. This accounts, in. some measure for the habitual;;' suspicion with which the French"''! regard any new development in Gerradh ; foreign policy. The excitement caused in Faria by the reyelation of the substance of a minute recording a conversa'tion between the -German Foreign : Minister and the French Ambassador at Berlin on the subject of armaments is a case in point.

?' f!To those familiar with the recent ■ history pf the disarmament question ’ there is nothing in the much-discussed aide memoirs that is new. An official memorandum; to the .same meet was submitted earlier in the year by the (termdn Government to the General Conference on Disarmament at Geneva, and wjdely circulated, Therein it was set . forth fl) that Germany was in full accord wnh the principle of disarmament; (2) that the Allies .and associated countries had pledged tliermelves. under the Peace Treaty to initiate, . when . circumstances permitted a programme of progressive disarmament, and had failed to. ,do so ; (8) that in view of these points, and also because . Germany is now a full member ,of the League of Nations, she insisted Upon being" given equality, with other countries in the matter of armaments.; 1 -

Although • the disarmament confer- ; eriee has adjourned uiitil October, Germany apparently is anxious that her claim for equality, should be further Conference to resume, she has therefore r taken the unexpected step of initiating diplomatic conversations with each of the League members in turn, : beginning with France, and at the same time informing the - others of what she has done. -She may ,seek to ! justify ; this method proceeding by contending that under the consultative pact of ithe Lausanne .agl-eemenfj free ! and, ft'dhkj discussions between nations o'w all outstanding questions wefe to jbe encouraged.- ' - The-- -question „of } iirmamepts,; .however, cannot be in--1 eluded; in the category of subjects ' that might be treated’-in this' way. ! Article ,8; of the league covenant, which, is, incorporated-’Alith the'Treaty of affirms' “the reduction of; national' armaments to the lowest' points consistent with national safety*”,, | places upon the League Council the j responsibility of forahulatihg “plans for such • reduction,and expi-essly sfatesithat agreed-tijjon limits, of armaments “shall , iftft be, exceeded without v tb,e poncur rente' of the coun r cjl.” Under tile Pes ; ’.e ’ Treaty the (german army; ; or Rfeicbswar, 1 was limited ," to „. 100,000.; men;, her naval strength heavily reduced and submarines eliminated, while she was forbid,deh to construct military craft. By equality Germany means the right as a , full member ,of the League of Nations; t.o raise her arihed forces to the ratios, and to include arm‘s; at - present fbrbidden to her. She asks now ' that ’ the right!' should lie accepted in principle before the .disarmament conference resumes. In turnip of Article 8 this is clearly a question for the League Council and. Conference.-, •*' : - , ilt jis xxot surprising to learn, therethat France has merely - accorded’ tlfe .peman proposal a formal and cold,' acftnowledgement, - and that, Britain is regarding this \ fresh development wjth watchful interest. There is mo reason, of coui-se, why Gennany • should . not make a claim for ,- equality in armaments. It -is merely a question of procedure, and the "method she has adopted was not, as events have shown, the wisest course to pursue*. Through soma leakage; the purport, but not the details, of a diplomatic minute has reached the French public, which has placed its own .interpretation- upon it. Hence the excitement in Paris. No doubt, in time, the German demand for equality will be conceded. Political feeling in the country i<i not inconceivable, and her! present rulers may-argue with some justification that there! is need for the strengthening of the armed forces. International opinion on disarmament, however, moves very slowly—how slowly is eas- - fly 'seen by noting what little pogress liajs been made . since ‘the Peace ~ Treaty was signed. Such being the case it ; .is . mistaken policy for Germany to “‘r'uslij her fences.”. The reaction from such jncidents as that under review ie likely; to be as unfavourable to the cause of disarmament as.it will most probably be to her own case.